GOMEL, 19 October (BelTA) – The Belarusian steel mill BMZ has made its 700,000th tonne of bronze-plated bead wire. The milestone batch was shipped to a customer in Portugal, the company's Press Secretary Aleksandr Olesik told BelTA.
Only BMZ's steel wire shop No.1 makes bronze-plated bead wire. This is why it took over 20 years for the company to get past the 700,000 tonnes milestone. In this period the company mastered the production of about 20 types of bronze-plated bead wire with the diameter varying from 0.89mm to 2mm.
Tire manufacturers use bronze-plated bead wire to reinforce tires. BMZ exports over 90% of the output primarily to tire factories of Michelin, Continental, and Pirelli. Major customers also include Nizhnekamskshina and Cordiant.
According to the source, in January-September 2020 BMZ exported 27,700 tonnes of bronze-plated bead wire to ten countries. Despite a temporary downturn on foreign markets due to quarantine measures the company has managed to increase shipments of these products to the European Union this year. Export to Germany and Netherlands increased considerably. The top European consumer is Romania, with over $4 million worth of bronze-plated bead wire bought in January-September.
The public joint-stock company (OAO) BMZ, the Management Company of the holding company Belarusian Metallurgical Company (BMC), is a high-tech Belarusian metallurgical enterprise. It comprises infrastructure shops and four manufacturing divisions connected by one technological chain. The divisions focus on steel smelting, mill products, pipe products, hardware items. BMZ exports more than 80% of its output every year.
